Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-29

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows the process for recycling plastic bottles.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

How plastic bottles are recycled

Student answer (Band 5.5)

This diagram shows the process of recycling plastic bottles for the manufacturing of various products. there are number of steps involving this process. Firstly, a person is showed throwing garbage in the bin. then a collector collects the garbage. Moving on a worker is sorting the garbage, separating useful waste. After separating the plastic, it is converted into huge blocks and after that it is crushed into small parts another important point is that they are crushing and also washing the crushed plastic. Sixth point is to create plastic pallets which are used in manufacturing as a raw material for many products. These pallets are dried in seventh step. the dried pallets are packed into cartons to make the logistic easier, and in final step the manufacturing companies use the plastic pallets to make different kinds of products for instance water bottles, pens, clothing, shopping bags, containers for storage purposes and many more, and the cycle repeats.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all stages of the recycling process, from collection to the final manufacturing of products. However, the description is somewhat mechanical, listing steps sequentially rather than synthesising the information into a cohesive overview. While the main features are identified, the response lacks a clear introduction that paraphrases the prompt effectively and fails to provide a summary or 'overview' paragraph, which is essential for a high band score in Academic Task 1. The inclusion of specific examples like 'pens' and 'clothing' is good, but the overall structure is too focused on a step-by-step narrative rather than an analytical report.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The response is organised chronologically, which helps the reader follow the process. However, the paragraphing is non-existent; the entire response is written as a single block of text, which significantly hinders readability and coherence. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'Firstly', 'Moving on', and 'in final step', they are somewhat repetitive and mechanical. The lack of paragraph breaks makes the text feel like a list of actions rather than a structured report. To improve, the student should group related stages of the process into distinct paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to describe the process clearly. Words like 'manufacturing', 'separating', and 'logistics' are used correctly. However, the range is limited and somewhat repetitive, with frequent use of basic verbs like 'throwing', 'collects', and 'crushing'. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or sophisticated collocations that would demonstrate a higher level of control. The phrasing is functional but lacks the precision and variety expected at higher band levels.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and compound sentences. There are several grammatical errors, particularly regarding punctuation and sentence boundaries; for example, 'there are number of steps' is missing an article, and there are instances of run-on sentences where clauses are joined incorrectly. Capitalisation is also inconsistent, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters ('there are', 'the dried'). While the meaning is generally clear, these frequent errors in basic grammar and punctuation indicate a lack of control over complex structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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